1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of cooling apparatus and methods for use in reduction processes.
2. The Prior Art
Prior art coolers have been of the contact type with the reduced material indirectly cooled by causing it to slide along cooled walls. Such prior art coolers have not been effective in cooling the material adequately and have suffered from safety problems due to oxygen leaking into the cooling apparatus.
There have been cases of explosions occurring in prior art coolers due to the formation of oxyhydrogen gas caused by air leaking between stationary and moving parts of the cooler.
There has been a need for a method and an apparatus for the cooling of reduced materials whereby in the cooler, a reoxidation of the reduced material as well as danger of explosion is prevented and the cooler operates safely with a high degree of effectiveness and inexpensively.